In the realm of social entrepreneurship, one of the simplest ways to categorize social enterprises is to lump them into the following two (very general) categories:
- Enterprises that have the explicit mission of helping solve a social problem, such as the provision of safe drinking water or portable restrooms, just as two examples
- Enterprises whose products or services do not explicitly help solve a social problem, but rather conduct business in a way so that they either provide sustainable employment for those in the BoP or donate a portion of their profits towards social causes
Bamboosero, a social enterprise that I ran across late this summer, is one of those businesses that does both. While I was researching road bikes earlier this year, I ran across them and was quite intrigued. Unfortunately, I had already purchased a new bicycle by the time I ran across Bamboosero, but I think I may very well buy one as my next bike!
As you may have guessed, one of the unique aspects of Bamboosero bikes is that their frames are made from bamboo! Now, perhaps you’re a little skeptical of a seemingly wood-like material replacing high-grade steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber as the building blocks of a bicycle frame, but let’s back up for a moment.
Bamboo is pretty strong. A bamboo bike is strong enough, in fact, to support 600 pounds. (Bamboo’s tensile strength is greater than that of steel’s, its compressive strength is greater than that of many concretes, and it has better vibration dampening than carbon fiber). It’s also extremely lightweight, which is important for serious road racers. And if you’re looking for legitimacy, you can’t get much better than having your bikes designed by Craig Calfee, who also designed bikes for Tour de France champion Greg LeMond.
The benefits don’t stop there, however. Bamboo production is a sustainable and green resource, and the production of these bicycles in Ghana (and Zambia, Philippines, Uganda and New Zealand soon) provides work for local workers to help them support themselves. These bikes are then sold to consumers in the West, whose dollars are invested into developing economies, or sold to other locals, who then have a reliable and efficient method of reaching drinking water, medical care, etc. With one business, you provide jobs as well as transportation!
Similar to microfinance, the production of Bamboosero bicycles “enables villages to build their own economies and connect with resources beyond their own area. Donations to help get Bamboosero programs started will go further than most charity efforts because the model is truly sustainable.”
Pretty cool! Check out the video below as well, and visit Calfee Design or Newsweek’s feature to learn more.
